Hello Strangers…

I have continued working on lots of projects since February, so this might get a bit picture heavy, as usual! I also had a lovely 2 nights away to Rome for my 40th birthday celebration (where I knit a sock at all the big sights to give my gimpy foot a rest and for fun!) and got some lovely gifts I’d love to show as well…

Here is a project I am so glad finally have finished, it is years in the making, my felted knitting bag! Here is the size prefelting:
Pattern: Constant Companion

Here is the finished product:

I have also been working a lot on some hand piecing projects: my usual, Dear Jane blocks, to finish up the blocks for a lap quilt;

a drunkard’s path, made from fabrics and template that Barbara gave me as a lovely present when mom was diagnosed with breast cancer; it is really starting to look nice now! This is from a beautiful quilt we both admired on Supergoof.

and another block that Barbara gave me of an 8 pointed star pattern using Japanese taupes, on it’s own the block isn’t exciting, till you realize the lovely star pattern made when you put four blocks together!

I have some of these all in my handbag along with my sewing tin so I can pull something out when I have a few minutes and stitch away. I also keep my sock knitting in the bag…it is amazing what this smallish bag can hold!

I have started a pair of the very familiar by now Broadripple socks I have made several times for Katy. I used Cascade Fixation yarn, which is cotton and elastic as she is allergic to wool, poor girl! I am making this pair for myself, as I love the colors and I had to buy some spare yarn when making Katy’s and had enough leftover for a pair for me. Here is the first sock…

Dave and I had a great trip to Rome for my 40th birthday celebration. It was amazing, we walked everywhere, and had great food as well! Like I said before I took along the sock and the hand piecing in my handbag. Wasn’t as easy to hand piece around Rome, but the sock was dead handy to take out when we were resting in the sun!

Here is the progress at the Colosseum…
A little later in the afternoon at the Spanish Steps… (yes I am strange…I can’t help myself!)
Heading towards evening at the Trevi Fountain…

A sock tour of Rome…

And here is a collage of a few photos around the city…

My birthday celebrations lasted for weeks and included a little party with my patchwork group, who instead of giving me a voucher for more fabric (I might have a little more than I need, just a little…they mentioned something about “bringing coal to Newcastle?”) they gave me this beautiful fabric art done by local artist Lynn Kenny.

Katy gave me this lovely tree themed quilt, knowing my admiration of the tree as a graphic and as a symbol…she did it for an exhibit a few years back, but gifted it on to me, isn’t it gorgeous?

I also got some gorgeous perfumes and some jewelry from friends and a beautiful Nicholas Mosse pottery bowl…I was very much spoiled this year!

In mid-February, I finally rejoined Weight Watchers, and as of last week I have lost 22 lbs. I still have a lot left to lose, but I have made some good progress, and have been doing a lot of swimming that must be helping too…add to that the constant activities of two small girls and lack of energy for big quilting projects, and you have my excuse for not keep up very well with this blog. I will try to be better, but hope you don’t delete me out of your blog list even if my posts are sporadic…

I am lucky that my MS has been very much in the background at the moment. Unrelated to the MS, my left foot is finally going to be seen too…the arch has fallen and it has been more and more painful to walk on it the last few years. I tried to lump it in with the MS, but the neurologist insists that this is a totally separate bit of bad luck, having to do with mechanical damage…wear and tear and bad genetics causing the arch to fall, blah! I will be having an operation to remove the damaged tendon in my left foot, replacing it with another tendon in my foot, ewwww! I’ll be on crutches for six weeks.

So next week I will be bringing down some of my sewing room, as Dave and I are moving into the downstairs guest room to save me hopping up and down the stairs all the time (his idea, how thoughtful, kinda makes up for a few of those golf widow moments…maybe 2 of em…) My right foot won’t be in a cast, I can still press the pedal on the machine, lol! I will also prepare a bunch of hand piecing work to keep me out of mischief!

It’s wonderful to here from you after such a long absence. Glad to here you had a great birthday, lucky you, a trip to Rome and all your gifts. I’m also glad that your MS is not bothering you but am sorry to hear about your foot. I have plantar fasciitis which is along your foot issue. I had it treated with Radial Shock Wave Therapy and it’s great now. A few friends have had the same treatment with great results. If this is available in your neck of the woods I would suggest it before surgery. Or is this not applicable for your type of injury? I hope all goes well and you have a speedy recovery.

Well Hello! It’s so nice to see you back posting. Unfortunately, flickr must be taking a powder ’cause I can’t get the pictures to load. Congrats on your weight loss — that’s wonderful. And good luck on your surgery!

Thanks for a good laugh, the sock at the Colosseum really made me smile. A wonderful way to spend your 40th in Rome! Love your projects, especially your felted bag & the star pattern using the Japanese taupes.
Best of luck for your foot op and keep up the good work with your excercise program.

Hi Cathi..belated birthday greetings and congrats on the weight loss. I can relate to the slow blogs…mine hasn’t been updated for ages..sigh… Will endeavour to do so this weekend. How clever to take a sock sightseeing tour of Rome! A bit like sending postcards from gnomes, home! I really must clean up my sewing area and create!!
Rainbow smiles.. Gloria

Laughed at the travel collage and the socks! It’s good to read your posts. Good luck on the foot repair, at least you will have your hands free to help with the boredom. Swimming is great exercise that’s isn’t hard on the joints.

I’m so delayed–sorry! Happy Birthday. Love love the gift wall hangings and the Sock Tour of Rome. Fab pictures. Last weekend Kevin turned 40 and he got a tour of Kilarney (lol); I took hand sewing with me and while he did not notice (or complain) my sewing group did scold me–glad to see you think the same, even if you’re the birthday gal!
xo